Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada was arrested, and his capture triggered a surge of Google searches about the historical leader of the Sinaloa Cartel or the Pacific Cartel, the largest criminal organization dedicated to drug trafficking in the world.
“What happened to Mayo Zambada?” “How many children does Ismael Zambada have?” These were some of the most frequent searches on Google by users in the minutes after the news broke about the downfall of Joaquín Guzmán Loera’s associate, alias ‘El Chapo’ Guzmán.
In light of this significant arrest, we share a chronology of what has happened based on what we know so far.
Mayo Zambada Arrested
The weekly magazine Zeta was the first to report it after 5 p.m. The publication, founded by Jesús Blancornelas, revealed that U.S. officials confirmed the arrest of Ismael Zambada García in El Paso, Texas.
Minutes later, several media outlets joined the coverage.
Did Mayo Surrender?
In the first few hours after the news, there was a lot of confusion. Rumors and speculations on social media spread rapidly, fueling a series of hypotheses about what had happened.
The most published information at the time indicated that the Sinaloa Cartel leader had voluntarily surrendered to U.S. authorities.
On Foro TV, during the initial news coverage, the hosts stated that the powerful drug trafficker’s downfall was caused by actions of the National Guard and the Mexican Army.
U.S. Confirms the Arrest
Shortly after 6 p.m., U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland confirmed the arrest of Zambada García and Joaquín Guzmán López, one of El Chapo Guzmán’s sons.
“The Department of Justice has taken into custody two additional alleged leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel, one of the most violent and powerful drug trafficking organizations in the world. Ismael Zambada García, or ‘El Mayo,’ co-founder of the Cartel, and Joaquín Guzmán López, a son of its other co-founder, were arrested today in El Paso, Texas,” the issued statement read.
Shortly after, the FBI and DEA issued their statements on the matter.
Christopher Wray, director of the FBI, highlighted the operation as a demonstration of the close interagency collaboration and coordination between the bureau and the agencies that enabled the capture of one of the most elusive criminals. Anne Milgram, head of the DEA, emphasized the arrest’s impact on the battle against the flow of illicit drugs, especially fentanyl, to the United States, describing the arrest as a “severe blow to those responsible for the opioid crisis that has claimed thousands of American lives.”
By that time, one thing seemed clear: the Mexican government did NOT participate in the operation.
They Were Taken by Plane
Rumors about a supposed voluntary surrender of both criminal leaders continued. However, reports from the Wall Street Journal and The New York Times dispelled them.
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) and The New York Times (NYT) revealed that the arrest of Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada was the result of an elaborate undercover operation.
The WSJ detailed how Zambada and Joaquín Guzmán López were deceived into boarding a plane bound for Texas under the belief that they would inspect clandestine airstrips in Mexico.
On the other hand, the NYT revealed that U.S. authorities flew them to the United States after Guzmán López lured him under false pretenses.
Both newspapers highlighted the complexity and planning carried out by U.S. authorities, culminating in the incident-free capture of one of the most notorious leaders of global drug trafficking.
Ovidio Guzmán, Released?
Simultaneously, new information surfaced on social media, mainly on Twitter.
According to records from the U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons, Ovidio, also known as ‘El Ratón,’ was reportedly released on July 23, just two days before Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada’s arrest.
Hypotheses of a voluntary surrender focused on internal betrayal within the Sinaloa Cartel leadership.
Hours later, Ovidio Guzmán’s lawyers clarified that he was not released but was being transferred to a state prison, which is why he does not appear in the federal prison system.
What Did the Mexican Government Say About Mayo Zambada’s Arrest?
The next morning, in President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s (AMLO) morning conference, the Mexican government spoke for the first time about the downfall of the legendary drug trafficker.
Rosa Icela Rodríguez, the Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection, confirmed that the Mexican government did not participate in the arrest of the Sinaloa Cartel leader, which was entirely carried out by U.S. authorities.
According to the SSPC head, the Mexican government learned of the operation that culminated in Zambada García’s arrest through a key communication from the U.S. Embassy.
At 3:30 p.m. on July 25, the SSPC was informed about the capture, and shortly after, the news reached President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
At 5:50 p.m., fingerprint verification of both detainees was conducted, confirming their identity. U.S. authorities provided separate images of Zambada and Guzmán López.
According to information from the National Institute of Migration (INM), Zambada and Guzmán López departed from Hermosillo International Airport between 7:00 and 7:31 a.m., using a small plane bound for Texas.
The criminal leader’s photo began circulating on social media.
Joe Biden Reacts
On the morning of July 26, U.S. President Joe Biden celebrated the arrest of Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada.
Biden emphasized the significance of capturing one of the most wanted criminals and its impact on the fight against drug trafficking, particularly in combating the fentanyl epidemic plaguing many U.S. communities.
ALSO READ. NYT investigates financing of drug trafficking in the campaign of Mexico’s president during 2018
What About Mayo Zambada?
Through his lawyer, Ismael Zambada García pleaded not guilty to the charges in the federal court in El Paso, Texas.
His lawyer, identified as Frank Pérez, claimed that his client was taken to the United States against his will.
Who Is Ismael El Mayo Zambada?
Mayo Zambada is one of the last drug traffickers from the old guard, a generation that emerged from the so-called Guadalajara Cartel, which was led by Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo, Ernesto Fonseca Carrillo, and Rafael Caro Quintero.
Zambada García was born on January 7, 1948, in Sinaloa; unlike other major criminal leaders such as Joaquín ‘El Chapo’ Guzmán or Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, Mayo Zambada has never been arrested.
Along with Juan José Esparragoza Moreno, alias ‘El Azul,’ Mayo has been one of the most difficult drug trafficking leaders for authorities to track down.
Like El Azul, Ismael Zambada has preferred to keep a low profile.
In 2010, Mayo Zambada gave an interview to journalist Julio Scherer, in which he confessed that he rarely slept in the same place and stayed protected in the mountains.
“The mountains are my home, my family, my protection, my land, the water I drink. The land is always good, the sky is not,” Mayo told the founder of Proceso magazine.
He also confessed his “panic” about being imprisoned.
Many speculations circulate about Mayo Zambada: that he is ill, that he has diabetes, and even that he is already dead. In the interview he gave to Scherer, the Sinaloa Cartel leader acknowledged that many lies had been told about him. One of them was that he supposedly orchestrated El Chapo Guzmán’s escape from Puente Grande.
“El Chapo Guzmán and I are friends, compadres, and we frequently talk on the phone. But that story didn’t happen. It’s another lie attached to me. Like the invention that I planned an attack against the president of the Republic. It wouldn’t occur to me.”
Three of his ten children are in prison.
Vicente Zambada Niebla, ‘El Vicentillo,’ was arrested in 2009 by Mexican Army forces; in 2010, he was extradited to the United States.
In November 2013, Serafín Zambada was captured, and a year later, Ismael Zambada Imperial, alias ‘El Mayito Gordo,’ was arrested; both are detained in the United States.
Unlike their father, who has always maintained a low profile throughout his criminal career, both Serafín and El Mayito Gordo are part of the narco juniors and buchones generation, who like to flaunt their luxuries and excesses on social media.
